John,

“Working people are the backbone of this country. We do the things our communities count on—at our schools and hospitals, factories and construction sites, small and big businesses—yet still too many families can’t keep food on the table, pay the rent, afford child care.

The answer is not more of this same broken status quo. The answer is a good union job. The answer is working people in our communities—no matter who you are, no matter how you voted—joining together and standing up for our freedom, fairness, and security.”

Fred Yamashita

Secretary-Treasurer

Executive Director
Arizona AFL-CIO

Central Texas Flood Resources & How to Help

As Texans recover from the recent floods, the Texas AFL-CIO has compiled a list of resources for the affected counties for both union members and the general public. Thank you to all of our emergency responders for their work during this crisis.

Please follow local officials for the latest information.

True Concord Voices & Orchestra Management

Tell POLITICO Management: AI Should Work with Journalist, Not Against Us!

Last year, PEN Guild members won a landmark contract with some of the strongest AI protections in the industry, ensuring union journalists had a say in how AI is used and that new technology met the same ethical standards as human reporters. Since then, POLITICO has violated that agreement by deploying AI tools—like live election coverage and a subscriber “Report Builder”—without union input or editorial oversight, resulting in errors and ethical breaches. Despite raising these concerns repeatedly, management has refused to act. We need your help to demand POLITICO follow its contract and uphold journalistic integrity.

International Rescue Committee Workers Demand a Fair Contract Now!

Every day, workers at the International Rescue Committee (IRC) help people seeking refuge and a better life. Since 2023, staff at 11 IRC offices have organized with OPEIU local unions—but management has delayed and undermined efforts to secure a fair contract.

While IRC executives make nearly $5 million a year, many frontline workers still don’t earn a living wage. IRC Workers Unite/OPEIU is fighting for fair pay, good benefits, and dignity on the job—because one job should be enough.

Will you email IRC leadership and urge them to stop stalling, end union-busting, and agree to a fair contract?

Union Events and Action

We want to uplift what you are doing for our members and our community!

Please fill out all the required information to have your Local's event uploaded to our Arizona AFL-CIO website or featured in our next Labor Dispatch. If you have any questions please reach out to Alina Cordoba, Communications & Operations Director at [email protected].

AZ AFL-CIO's Book Club: A New Chapter Begins!

We're back—and better than ever! The Arizona AFL-CIO Labor Book Club is now formatted as an end-of-the-month book review, offering fresh perspectives on thought-provoking reads that resonate with our movement. 

📖The July Book of the Month: Augustus by John Williams

Read along with us ⤵️

1st Regular Session of the 57th Legislature Wrap Up

Today, the Arizona AFL-CIO conducted its final Legislative Committee Meeting of the year. At the meeting, Assistant Minority Leader Nancy Gutierrez provided an overview of the last few months at the Capitol, particularly the budget negotiations she had with the Governor.

She mentioned that this was the first budget in the previous 3 years she voted “Yes” on, and the key legislative victories included funding secured for Arizona’s developmentally disabled community. Rep. Gutierrez also called attention to some of the worst bills that emerged this session, especially the number of anti-LGBTQIA+ bills that fortunately did not become law due to vetoes from Gov. Katie Hobbs.

Political Director Joe Murphy presented a final overview of bills that remained on the Arizona AFL-CIO’s watchlist pre-Sine Die. These included the Diamondbacks Stadium financing bill that passed, as well as two vetoed bills: one aimed at restricting emergency voting centers and requirements for ballot tabulation, and another targeting warehouse worker arbitration rights.

Today marked the last Legislative Committee Meeting of the year, unless a special session is called. Thank you to everyone who participated!

This Prime Week, Amazon Workers Like Me Need a Union Contract

"Last October, my co-workers and I marched into DCK6, the Amazon delivery station in San Francisco where we work, and demanded that management recognize our Teamsters Union. Amazon is a notoriously anti-union company, so we knew what we were up against. But after years of mistreatment, it was time to fight back and join the growing wave of Amazon workers across the country who are organizing with the Teamsters."

Federal Lawmakers Say Kids Won't Suffer from Medicaid Cuts. That's False

"Medicaid is the foundation of pediatric care in our state. Nationally, 50% of all children are covered by Medicaid. In Arizona, that number is 40%. At Phoenix Children’s, approximately 65% of the families we serve depend on Medicaid coverage."

AFL-CIO Blasts Supreme Court Ruling Allowing Administration to MOve Forward with Firing Thousands of Federal Workers

"This decision is a blow, but the litigation in this case—and the fight for federal workers and the essential services they provide—is far from over. We will continue to work with unions and allies to ensure all federal workers know how to exercise their rights. And we will continue to organize and support federal worker unions in their vital work, because it’s clear that a union contract is more important now than ever."

NHL, NHLPA Ratify Four-Year Collective Bargaining Agreement

"The National Hockey League Players’ Association’s full membership and the National Hockey League’s Board of Governors have ratified a four-year Collective Bargaining Agreement, more than a year before the expiration of the current contract. The new agreement runs through the 2029-30 season."

IAM Union Blasts GOP for Excluding Airline, Railroad Workers from Overtime Tax Deduction

"The IAM Union, as well as the Transportation Communications Union (TCU/IAM), urged every senator to support U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell’s (D-Wash.) Amendment #2613, which would have corrected this injustice by extending the overtime tax deduction to aviation and railroad workers. Republican leaders blocked the amendment from moving forward, ignoring the needs of working families in one of the most demanding sectors of our economy."

City of Philadelphia Reaches Tentative Agreement with AFSCME District Council 33 Ending Work Stoppage

"Mayor Cherelle L. Parker, joined by City officials, held a press conference today to announce the conclusion of the AFSCME District Council 33’s (DC 33) strike that began on Tuesday, July 1, 2025. After negotiations, both parties have reached a tentative agreement on a new three-year contract that will bring stability back to City services and ensure fair compensation for municipal employees."

Undocumented Builders Face Unchecked Exploitation Amid Trump Raids: 'It's more work, less pay'

"With approximately 2.9 million US construction workers – about 34% of the workforce – foreign-born, construction sector lobbyists have publicly urged the Trump administration to soften their hardline stance on immigration. “While the need for safe and secure borders is paramount, mass deportation is not the answer,” Buddy Hughes, chairperson of the National Association of Home Builders, said in a statement."

As Arizona Swelters, Workplace Heat Protections Remain Sparse with No State Law and OSH Proposal Likely Stalled

"The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration has no heat-specific regulations. It began crafting such rules under President Joe Biden. But OSHA is among the agencies under orders from President Donald Trump to scrap 10 existing regulations for each new one.That has left labor advocates pessimistic, even as long stretches of extreme heat become more common."

Phoenix Firefighters Head to Texas to Help in Search After Catastrophic Kerrville Flood

"The Phoenix Fire Department’s Arizona Task Force 1 serves as an Urban Search and Rescue Team for the Federal Emergency Management Agency, one of 28 FEMA task forces nationwide. The team specializes in swift water rescue, technical rescue, structural collapse and heavy rescue, hazardous materials detection and emergency paramedicine."

From Nun to Reformer: Socorro Hernández-Bernasconi, the Woman Who Transformed Education in Guadalupe 

"An Arizona Women’s Hall of Fame inductee: Socorro organized a successful a civil rights lawsuit against the Tempe Elementary School District for segregating Yaqui and Mexican-American children, who were placed in classes for students with intellectual disabilities."

Families Hoard ESA Funds as Arizona Public Schools Face Low Funding, Records Show

"The 12News I-Team has exclusively obtained public records that show more than $440 million is sitting in education voucher accounts for private and homeschooling. And parents who stockpile those tax dollars can use them to pay for their kids' college. The I-Team obtained the documents through a public records request to the Arizona Department of Education after State Treasurer Kimberly Yee refused to release the information. Both agencies have oversight of Arizona's Empowerment Scholarship Accounts or ESAs. They are expected to cost about $1 billion for the upcoming school year. As of Monday, 84,196 students were enrolled for ESAs. The data does not disclose who has the money, but it does indicate some families are hoarding cash."

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